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Bebop Spoken There

Marcella Puppini (in concert with the Puppini Sisters at Sunderland Fire Station, November 27, 2024): ''We've never played there, but we've looked it up, and it looks amazing.''. (The Northern Echo, November 21, 2024).

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

17523 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 797 of them this year alone and, so far, 35 this month (Nov. 10).

From This Moment On ...

November

Fri 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The White Swan, Ovingham. 12:30-3:30pm. Line-up: Chris Perrin (clarinet, tenor sax); Phil Rutherford (sousaphone); David Gray (trombone, trumpet, vocals); Brian Bennett (banjo). To book a table tel: 01661 833188.
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: East Coast Swing Band @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:30pm.
Fri 22: Dilutey Juice @ Independent, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf.
Fri 22: Archipelago @ Poprecs, High St. West, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. Multi-bill, Archipelago on stage 8:00pm. A Boundaries Festival event.
Fri 22: Groovetrain @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. £15.00. + bf. 8:45pm (7:30pm doors).

Sat 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 11:00-1:00pm. £6.00. at the door, £4.00. advance. Tel: 0191 691 7090. A Spanish City ‘Xmas Market’ event in the Champagne Bar.
Sat 23: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 11:00am-12:30pm. Free (donations, fill up the bucket!).
Sat 23: Washboard Resonators @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Sat 23: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm.

Sun 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 11:00-1:00pm. £6.00. at the door, £4.00. advance. Tel: 0191 691 7090. A Spanish City ‘Xmas Market’ event in the Champagne Bar.
Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Skerritt (solo) performing with backing tapes.
Sun 24: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 24: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Washboard Resonators @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £8.00.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Groovetrain @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. £15.00. + bf. 5:15pm (4:00pm doors). SOLD OUT!
Sun 24: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 24: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe. 8:00pm.
Sun 24: Lighthouse Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. advance.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:00-7:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Puppini Sisters @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Friday, June 28, 2019

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ The Bridge Hotel - June 27


(Review by Russell)

At last, summer! A relentless sun shone through the Bridge Hotel's bay window as the Strictly Smokin' Big Band assembled for a public rehearsal session at its new base on Castle Garth. Against a backdrop of intercity and regional services jostling with clattering, clunking freight trains winding their way in and out of Newcastle Central Station the sun-dappled audience shielded its collective eye (see photo*) as Michael Lamb's roaring big band opened up with Fast Cars. 
 Depending on how one counted them, the number of deps totalled eight, eight and a half (Dave Kerridge occupying the alto sax chair rather than his more familiar role as second tenor) or nine. And what's more, every single one of them could have been fixtures in the band so good was their contribution. 

An all-dep rhythm section - Paul Donnelly, guitar, Ben Lawrence, piano, Jon Proud, bass and drummer Ian Wynd - worked wonders, reading the charts at a moment's notice and for those hearing the band for the first time they wouldn't have known it. Star vocalist Alice Grace sang Blue Skies during which she re-arranged/repositioned the furniture (the PA). 

Maynard Ferguson's Dancing Nitely found the band in scorching form either side of a gargantuan Keiran Parnaby blast with Jamie Toms backing up on tenor. Polly Gibbons' arrangement of Dr Feelgood paired a bluesy Ms Grace with an equally bluesy Mr Paul Donnelly. Great to hear the one-time Djangologist guitarist working with the SSBB. 

As the sun began to sink below the cityscape the trumpeters stepped up; first a rare solo feature for Dick Stacey with Alice Grace singing I Can't Get Started followed by Pete Tanton accompanying vocalist AG on You Turned the Tables on me - fabulous stuff! The ensemble joined AG on Teach Me Tonight before the band's vocalist signed off with It Was a Very Good Year. The SSBB went out on Jammer Time. Woah! Donnelly impressed again, 'bone man Chris Gurgi-Smith similarly impressed setting up a Jamie Toms-Alan Marshall duel to close the show. The SSBB, whether in concert or in rehearsal is one helluva band. Catch them next time.   
  
* The first reader to correctly identify the mystery character attempting to hide from the oh-so-bright sunlight wins a free pint (courtesy of your reviewer). The small print...the offer must be taken up at the SSBB's next rehearsal night at the Bridge Hotel (July 25). Those who were present last night (June 27) are not eligible to enter this once-in-a-lifetime competition.  
Russell

Michael Lamb, MD, Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey, (trumpets); Alan Marshall, Jamie Toms, Dave Kerridge, Dan Kolb, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); Chris Gurgi-Smith, Keiran Parnaby, Alex Utting, Chris Grey (trombones); Paul Donnelly (guitar); Ben Lawrence (keyboards); Jon Proud (bass); Ian Wynd (drums); Alice Grace (vocals)
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